Asian Games: Afghanistan cricketers eye gold after victory over Pakistan

Afghanistan can start dreaming of a gold medal after securing an upset victory over a second-string Pakistan side in their cricket semi-final at the Asian Games on Thursday.                              

"It was a fantastic win," said captain Mohammad Nabi Eisakhil, after their bowlers defended a total of 125 to clinch a 22-run win in the Twenty20 match.                                           
 

"Everybody's watching at home so now we must win gold."        
 

Afghan players slumped to the ground in joy at the end as President Hamid Karzai made a congratulatory call.                  
 

"You are the country's champions and I look forward to greeting you all," Karzai was quoted as saying in a statement from the country's cricket board.                                           
 

Afghanistan now play Bangladesh in the final on Friday, which will lower the curtain on cricket's debut at the Asian Games.                 

Pakistan brought only one national team player to Guangzhou, but their mix of youth and domestic-grade experience was expected to be too strong for Afghanistan, many of whose players learnt the game in refugee camps.                                            
 

After a nervous start, Afghanistan compiled a respectable 125 for eight, anchored by a solid 35 from middle-order batsman Shabir Ahmad Noori.                                           
 

Pakistan raced to 47 for no loss in six overs, but the dismissals of openers Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif triggered a mid-innings collapse.                                           
 

Afghan off-spinner Karim Khan Sadeq grabbed two wickets as Afghanistan restricted Pakistan to 103 for seven.                                            
The win was another small milestone in Afghanistan's emergence as a serious cricket playing nation.